| ATLANTA RUG MARKET SHOWROOM TOUR PEOPLE & PARTIES - PART 1
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ATLANTA -- In this exclusive Atlanta International Rug Market roundup, follow RugNews.com as we cover the people, events and all things rugs at the industry's first market of the New Year. From ribbon cuttings to anniversary galas, we follow the party circuit and visit must-see showrooms on buyers' hit lists.
The festivities included everything from Bollywood night at Amer to a meet and greet with the Novogratz at their new dedicated Momeni showroom, to anniversary cake at Capel. And the fun continued with AmericasMart's 60th birthday commemorations culminating in the Diamonds of Design open house celebration, the Friday night America's Magnificent Carpets Awards gala, and Saturday's Museum of Introductions breakfast.
Although swept away by this flurry of events, we did note a significant increase in furniture store buyers at rug showrooms throughout Building 1 (borne out in the photos below). And that's a good thing because it shows inroads are being made into this important growth opportunity for the rug industry.
In Part 1, we shopped 'til we dropped at companies from Amer to KAS rugs, checking out new collections, and bumping into buyers eager to find the newest trends. For Part 2 of the exclusive RugNews.com Atlanta Market Showroom Tour featuring companies from Kashanian to Tamarian, click here.
AMER
Three Amer Rugs' generations preside over the festivities at the company's Atlanta Market celebration of record-breaking 2016 sales. From left, Mahesh Choudhary, his daughter Monika Gupta holding Aarav, and Tanuj Gupta holding their daughter, Tania.
Samar Kaskas of Kaskas Oriental Rug Gallery in Austin, Texas, with Amer's Monika and Tanuj Gupta and daughter Tania, and Danny Sanchez of Lillian August in Norwalk, Connecticut.
A night of Bollywood entertainment encouraged guests of Amer Rugs to join dancers on the showroom "stage," and enjoy Indian cuisine and selections of music from a live DJ.
AMERICASMART
Jeff Portman, AmericasMart Atlanta vice chairman, president and COO, holds a press conference during the Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market, to reflect on AmericasMart's 60th anniversary, and share future growth plans including a new AMC-TV entertainment network.
ARIANA
Lucille Laufer, executive director of the Oriental Rug Importers Association, Sayeed Hasanzahah, president Merrifield Oriental Rug Inc. in Vienna, Virginia, and Ahmad Ahmadi principal of Ariana Carpets in Los Angeles, at Ariana's booth at the inaugural seventh floor rug temporaries exhibitors' space during the Atlanta International Rug Show featuring NORS.
CAPEL
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Cameron Capel of Capel Rugs toasts the company's 100th anniversary with Christopher Hutson of Hutson's Fine Furniture in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Hutson told RugNews.com his family has been buying from Capel since the retailer started selling rugs about 50 years ago.
Today's generation of Capels: Cameron, Richard and Mary Clara Capel pose in front of the new braided collection introduced in honor of the company's Centennial.
COURISTAN
From left: Steve Codella of Couristan; Cyndi Hall of Abingdon Rug in Abingdon, Virginia; Ron Couri, of Couristan; Jim Hall of Abingdon Rug; and Evan Couri of Couristan.
DALYN
Todd Muntifering of Dalyn, Russell Evans of HOM Furniture of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, and Brian Vanderwerf of Dalyn.
Bryan McIntosh of Dalyn shows off a new transitional textured cut and loop pile rug in a fashion-right tone of gray to Sam Presnell of The Rug Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio.
DYNAMIC RUGS
At the Dynamic Rugs showroom, from left: the Jordan's Furniture crew: Josh Tatelman, Tammy Whittaker, Jeff Dawkins, and Rhonda McMann, with Matthew Rouhanian and Anoosha Rouhanian of Dynamic Rugs, and Stacey Kerkhoff of Jordan's.
HAROUNIAN RUGS INTERNATIONAL
Rugs as Art's John and Lucy Murse, HRI's David Harounian, Jesse Murse, Rugs as Art, Greg Jordt and Deodat Jugmohan of HRI, pose in front of HRI's new Impressions collection.
JAIPUR LIVING
Matt Peterson and Kelly Markham of Jaipur Living, Nicole Mitchell of Fabrics and Furnishings, Conyers, Georgia, and Jaipur's Jeff Odell and Ken Markham.
Tara Phillips of Jaipur Living introduces market shoppers to the ancient art of Shibori in a hands-on Indigo Dyeing workshop where guests learned to fold and dye fabric to create a custom tie-dyed piece.
KALATY
Mike Kalaty, Kalaty Rugs, left, with Judy Brown and Mark Petrancosta, co-owners of Bound's Cave Oriental Rugs in Cashiers, North Carolina.
Shana LaFore, Kathryn Sergenian, Paul Sergenian, and Niko Papadopoulos of Paul Sergenian Rugs in Madison, Wisconsin, pose with Mike Kalaty in front of a new Equinox design by Kalaty Rugs.
KALEEN
At the busy Kaleen showroom, from left: Bob Stone and Tim Boylan of Kaleen, Chris Smith of Designers Rug Center in Naples, Florida, and Blake Dennard of Kaleen.
Kaleen's Blake Dennard and Monty Rathi flank Matt Ellman, who was named Kaleen Sales Rep of the Year for his outstanding performance in 2016. The award was presented during the Atlanta International Rug Market.
KARASTAN
Edmond Hagopian of Hagopian Rugs with Terry Foltz of Karastan Rugs.
KAS
From left: Norm Guillette of Kas Rugs, Leon Sielawa and Paula Davis of Worcester, Massachusetts -based Rotmans, and Sandy Ford of Kas Rugs.
To read Part 2 of this exclusive RugNews.com Showroom Tour of Atlanta International Rug Market, click here.